Dream Big or Go Home!

From the beginning of this amazing journey following the chocolate brown brick road to Willy Wonkaville I have dreamed of the business being big--really big. I used to say things like "some day I'll be bigger than Godiva". This is an interesting thought since I really have no desire to make chocolates in the shadow of Godiva. They are massive big business! And besides, I'm pretty sure Sweet Mona's chocolates are better than Godiva.

Everything has to start small. It's tempting when I see someone who looks really successful to say "Wow! Where did they come from? It seems like they've become successful overnight!" Well, I know that's not true. Success doesn't come overnight. It comes one baby step at a time.

Earlier this year, I began a journey to buy a bigger building. I was not successful in my attempts. I wanted to buy a 5,000 square foot building and make the lower floor the chocolate shop, complete with an ice cream bar, viewing area, chocolate making classes, and of course a good amount of seating. And the top floor, I wanted to turn into a chocolate hostel--or hotel. It wouldn't have been very big but I had modeled it after the McMenamin's Historic Hotels. I wanted to engage the artists to create their own room themed around chocolate and offer nightly accommodations to travelers coming to Langley.

I quickly learned that I did not have the financial foundation to create such a dream. And so I looked outward to try to find money. The dream became convoluted and I worked different ways to get into the building. I really kind of lost track of the dream in the every day attempt to find the financial backing to do it. I had to let it go.

It created a great sadness inside of me. Of course, I know I said "Everything happens for a reason. It just wasn't the right time. I almost had it put together." The bottom line is that I couldn't pull it off.

This post is to really say to you and to the world that I am still dreaming and I am still searching for a way to grow my business. For me, It's not an option, I have to keep moving forward. And really in my heart, I know it's not the money that keeps holding me back, it's something inside me that's not ready to move forward. I have to figure that out.

I still have a big dream. I want the business to grow into a manufacturing facility that distributes chocolates to stores all across the country. Can you imagine it? Trucks filled with Sweet Mona's chocolates leaving on the ferry every morning to distribute sweetness to the country?  It just makes me smile thinking about it. And a business in Langley that draws people from around the country to see the chocolate being made here and staying in a chocolate themed room with options to learn about chocolate?

I may  not ever be able to "pull it off". It won't stop me from dreaming about it and imagining how wonderful it will be. And it won't stop me from enjoying what I have here in Langley. We are successful. Sweet Mona's Chocolate Boutique ships out chocolates every day to people around the country sweetening the world and we offer a wonderful chocolate experience to our guests. I stand in gratitude for what we are and we will become.

Sweet Mona

“May the impression I leave today be the inspiration that moves mountains tomorrow.”